How to Buy Snow Tires that Could Get You Through a Canadian Winter

Feb 20, 2018
How to Buy Snow Tires that Could Get You Through a Canadian Winter

For most Canadians, the winter season seems unending. Once the first snow is on the ground, it becomes clear again how little people remember about winter driving.

It’s also clear how poorly all-season tires perform in the cold. There is temptation to spend good money on a top-tier set of all-season tires with the intention of using them for the winter. And, while most high-end tires have some minor snow or cold weather traction, all-season tires aren’t the best choice for winter driving. The simple truth is that the rubber compound changes when the temperature plunges below seven degrees Celsius, or 44 degrees Fahrenheit.

Michelin X-Ice Xi3 Winter Radial Tire

The rubber gets hard. And hard tire rubber can’t hold onto the road surface as well. It definitely can’t grab onto snow or ice. The result is a decrease in performance when accelerating or going around corners. All-season tires also take a lot longer to stop in the colder weather. Winter tires, however, are designed to operate best below this magic temperature threshold. Compounds are made of softer, more flexible rubbers that actually grip onto snow and ice. When compared to even the best all-season tires, winter tires stop better every time — and you still need winter tires even if you have all-wheel drive because AWD does nothing to help you stop faster.

How can you tell what’s a good winter tire? For starters, look for the snowflake on the sidewall. A snowflake located inside a mountain is called the severe service winter tire designation. It’s a Canadian-made standard that outlines a host of performance and traction requirements the tire must meet. This is different than the M&S rating you see on most all-season tires. Any tire without the snowflake on the sidewall won’t perform well below seven degrees.

Another great resource when buying tires is the internet. Sites such as Amazon have user ratings for the winter rated tires in stock. For most vehicles, top choices are typically the exceptionally performing Bridgestone Blizzak WS80, or the Michelin X-Ice. These tires provide great winter traction in all conditions while minimizing annoying road noise from the tread pattern.

Goodyear Ultra Grip Winter Radial Tire

When shopping online, make sure to match tires to the year, make and model of your car. Mis-fit tires may not last as long, and could cause your speedometer to show the wrong speed. Studdable tires are good for drivers in extreme winter conditions, where ice is common.